Welcome to my Calendar of free writing contests! Subscribe to the once-a-month newsletter here to get updated when this list posts!
Dates posted are usually DUE DATES, or the exact dates of one-day events. Follow @writevent or search #writevent to see all upcoming contests on Twitter. Or check out these lists for monthly, weekly, or future contests:
Short Stories
- 5+ Monthly Contests
- 1/15 Other Cosmos Prize (Rewrite the last chapter of a the Cosmos serial novel.)
- 1/30 Imagine Little Tokyo (For stories set in Little Tokyo.)
- 2/13 Writers & Artists (Up to 2000 words.)
- 2/14 College Lex Allen (Any length.)
Personal Essays/Short Nonfiction
Creative nonfiction only. List does not include informative scholarship essays, articles, or journalism.
- 1+ Weekly Contest
- 1/15 Chicken Soup: The Magic of Cats (Up to 1200 words on title theme.)
- 1/15 Chicken Soup: The Magic of Dogs (Up to 1200 words on title theme.)
- 1/30 Chicken Soup: Stories About Christmas (Up to 1200 words on title theme.)
- 1/31 Good Story Grant (Up to 500 words.)
- 2/3 UK Spread the Word Life Writing (Up to 5000 words.)
Poetry
Includes poetry collections and chapbooks.
- 1+ Weekly Contest
- 1/15 DiBiase Poetry Prize (For any poems, any length.)
- 1/15 Chicken Soup: The Magic of Cats (Up to 1200 words on title theme.)
- 1/15 Chicken Soup: The Magic of Dogs (Up to 1200 words on title theme.)
- 1/15 LatinX/USA:Collection Montoya Poetry Prize (For a FIRST poetry collection of 48-100 pages.)
- 1/15 LatinX/USA:Collection Red Hen Prize (For a SECOND/THIRD poetry collection.)
- 1/31 Chicken Soup: Stories About Christmas (Up to 1200 words on title theme.)
- 2/7 Bethesda Urban (Up to 21 lines.)
- 2/15 USA: Midwest/Collection Spahr Prize (Up to 48 pages.)
Flash Fiction
- 10+ Monthly Contests
- 1/25 BMA Writing Competition (Up to 700 words on theme “sorry.”)
Novels and Collections (Fiction/Nonfiction)
See the poetry section for poetry collection/chapbook contests.
- 5+ Monthly Contests
- 1/15 #IWSGPit Pitch Party
- 1/15 Puchi Book Award
- 1/30 #SFFPit Pitch Party
- 2/12-14 Sweetheart Pitchfest
Children’s/MG
For picture books, chapter books, and middle grade novels by adult authors. See “Youth” for contests for young authors.
- None this month (that I could find).
For Published Writers
Includes those who have published short stories, essays, novels, and poetry. Submission may or may not be the published work itself, depending on the contest. Does not include contests requiring the publisher to submit.
- 1/15 LatinX/USA:Collection Red Hen Prize (For a SECOND/THIRD poetry collection.)
Other
- 5+ Monthly Contests
- 1/15 Cosmos Prize (Rewrite the last chapter of a the Cosmos serial novel.)
Youth
Does not include student scholarship essays, unless they are creative nonfiction.
- 1+ Monthly Contests
- 1/31 Imagine Little Tokyo (For stories set in Little Tokyo.)
- 1/31 Jack London Contest (Stories up to 2000 words.)
- 2/12 Foster Care Voices Competition (Up to 500 words.)
